5 key tips to apply for legal rankings

New deadlines for legal rankings: The Legal 500 EMEA (08/08/2022) and Chambers and Partners Europe (07/09/2022)

With the approaching deadlines to apply for the most prestigious legal rankings (The Legal 500 EMEA on August 8 and Chambers & Partners Europe on September 7, 2022), the Marketing departments of law firms are once again faced with one of their biggest concerns: how to prepare the best possible candidacy?

Legal rankings carry out exhaustive studies of the legal sector in different jurisdictions, for periodic rankings, organized by country and practice area. It is a very important reference, and a good  ranking is tremendously valued by firms. Obtaining a position in a good directory is a very good source of new business and raises the firm’s reputation.

However, there is still a certain lack of knowledge about the scope, relevance and -most importantly- how to obtain a favorable position in a ranking. Therefore, we tell you 5 key tips for submitting a candidacy to legal rankings:

1. Be selective with the areas of practice to apply for

The fact that our firm has many practice areas does not mean that all of them are truly outstanding. Therefore, it is important to use our resources efficiently and select really excellent areas that have managed to distinguish themselves remarkably. When making this selection, it should also be kept in mind that it will be preferable to include consolidated areas, which handle a good volume of specific work with noteworthy matters. If it is not the first time we apply, it is advisable to make a comparative table from year to year, to have a clear vision of who we want and can highlight. There may be a new junior lawyer who is excelling in an important area and we want to include him or her, or a senior who has closed several high-profile matters. It is important to have our objectives clearly defined to optimize the outcome.

2. Considering the researcher

This advice is twofold. First, our language should be clear and concise. The investigator in charge is not always an expert in the legal sector; therefore, it is not useful to use technical language. Efforts should be made to simplify the language and, in the event that legal jargon has to be used, brief explanations to facilitate understanding are a good idea.

Secondly, we must take into account the researcher’s time. Legal rankings receive thousands of submissions, so they expressly define maximum or recommended length for some sections. It is very important to respect these guidelines, since we want to highlight what is really essential and important. Otherwise, the researcher will not know how to discern among so much information. Besides, it is a relatively common mistake, so it is a simple way to stand out.

3. Perform a careful selection of issues (work highlights)

A really key tip is to know how to identify the salient issues. These must be specific and relevant. Simply stating that you are advising a client on a day-to-day basis does not add much value to your candidacy. The profile of the client advised can contribute a lot to the assessment of the matter if it is high profile or prestigious, but it is even more important that the matter is complex and noteworthy. Case details should focus on trying to explain why an issue was complex or novel.

Along these lines, it is also important to select the most recent matters. They should aim to be from the last 12 months, unless there is a previous case that is extremely indicative of the level of the team. Also, if it is not your first time applying, you should avoid at all costs recycling cases from previous submissions. Many firms make this mistake, but it is very important that the issues are fresh and current; we want to give the researcher the image of an active and up-to-date team.

4. Select referrals strategically

Referrals will mainly be recent clients of the firm. They will be contacted by the directory that performs the ranking so that they can provide references about the work of the firm and its lawyers. These references are key for the researchers. The most prestigious directories, such as Chambers & Partners, will not give a ranking if they do not obtain positive comments from the referred clients. Therefore, they should be selected carefully, prioritizing clients with whom you have a good and fluid relationship, who have time to talk to a researcher, and whom the firm has advised in the last 12 months.

5. Persist and learn

One of the most useful pieces of advice that can be given in this matter is to keep trying. It is very common for a nomination to prestigious directories to be unsuccessful or not to obtain the position to which we aspired at the first attempt. Therefore, it is very important not to get discouraged, as it is very much based on trends and feedback from the market in recent years. Recognized directories give motivated answers as to why they have not been included if firms ask for it, which has a lot of value in successfully preparing for the next submission. Therefore, it is very important to follow up and take the initiative to ask for feedback from the directory. By following the right steps, it is normal that, if they have not been successful in the first attempt, they will be successful in the second or third, whether it is to obtain a ranking or to obtain a better position in it.

With these 5 tips it will be easier to obtain the best candidacy to the most prestigious lawyer rankings, especially if it is the first time you apply or if you are looking to improve a previous ranking.